Disentangling the effects of task difficulty and effort on flow experience

Abstract

Flow, which is a rewarding state of full focus, typically arises when engaging in tasks with an optimal level of difficulty that is matched with a person's skill level. Meanwhile, optimal task difficulty usually comes with the greatest effort exertion. We propose that not only the difficulty level, but also the level of effort invested plays a role in the subjective feelings of flow. Using a visual discrimination task, we manipulated stimulus complexity and the expected probability of detecting a difference to induce and disentangle perceived task difficulty and effort exertion, respectively. Notably, perceived task difficulty increased proportionally with increasing stimulus complexity. Reaction time as an index of effort exertion, increased in challenging tasks with higher expectancy. Patterns of flow experience mirrored the observed shifts in effort exertion, suggesting a possible link between flow and effort. However, no parallel trend emerged in the physiological flow indicator, specifically the P300 amplitude. These findings highlight the intricate interplay between subjective experiences of task difficulty, exerted effort, and the subjective sense of being in 'flow'.

Fig. 1

Illustration of the experimental design. N*N represents the number of squares of each image in the following block. 50% represent 50% difference probability; 80% represent 80% difference probability

Fig. 2

Self-reported challenge level across three pre-defined difficulty conditions and two difference probability expectancy conditions (CE = control expectancy, HE = high expectancy)

Fig. 3

a) Reaction time and b) accuracy rate in three pre-defined difficulty conditions and two difference probability expectancy conditions (CE = control expectancy, HE = high expectancy). Comparisons are on individual level. c) Trial level reaction time comparisons in difficulty and expectancy conditions

Fig. 4

Self-reported flow experience in three pre-defined difficulties and two target expectancy conditions (CE = control expectancy, HE = high expectancy)

Fig. 5

a) Grand averaged ERP waveform (stimuli-locked) on the Pz electrode in six experimental conditions. P300 were extracted from the time window between 300 and 400ms. b) stimulus-evoked P3 amplitude in different difficulty and EPDD conditions. c) The relation between flow and P300 amplitude